8.0 Very good
Jeffrey Y
United States

Great service excellent locations

Snorkeling and locations

Recommended for: Food, service and snorkeling

8.4 Very good
Allen E
United States

This was the dive trip of a lifetime.

The highlights were the abundance of sharks, the large schools of reef fish, the hundreds of thousands of birds in the islands, and the outstanding enthusiasm and competence of the crew. However, what I feel needs improvement is the information provided before the trip. I did not receive a good summary of what to bring and how to meet the boat. I did receive the itinerary for the trip, but it says that the boat leaves from Puerto Ayora, while the boat actually left from a bay near the Airport. I was sent the correct information four days before the trip, but I had already left home and did not get the information until the evening before the trip. One other suggestion is that the recommended 7mm wetsuit may not be warm enough for some divers. Although the islands are on the equator, there are cold currents that lower the temperatures on some dives to the low 60's, depending on the time of the year.

Recommended for: The unique underwater life, the abundance of marine life, and the outstanding service of the crew were the three best things.

10 Exceptional
Stacy G
United States

Amazing trip! Didn’t want to leave

I had an amazing time aboard the Aqua. From the moment I met with the crew, everything was a breeze. I didn’t need to worry about anything during the duration of the trip. The days and schedule were organized so well. The staff took care of everything so all we really needed to worry about was waking up on time :)

Recommended for: Boat, crew, ease of everything.

9.6 Exceptional
Steven N
United States

Awsome

Hammerhead and Galapagos sharks. Manta, spotted Eagle, and Stingrays. Having two combination naturalist/divemastes.

Recommended for: Dive leaders/naturalists, food, dive sites.

10 Exceptional
Taylor L
United States

Great diving

Aqua is a comfortable boat with a wonderful crew. Food, drinks, and facilities were excellent. Rental gear is in very good shape and the crew maintains the boats and equipment very well. The crew and dive guides prioritize safe diving. They were also very flexible and rearranged the itinerary to fit the conditions as best as possible. The diving was great - all kinds of sharks, rays and mola mola, etc. Plus, unlike other dive boats, Aqua’s dive guides are also naturalists and were able to lead panga visits to islands so we could learn about and photograph wildlife above the water between dives. Great trip, we highly recommend it!

Recommended for: Dive itinerary, crew and guides were great

10 Exceptional
Janice B
United States

Fantastic trip!

We saw lots of sharks, eagle and manta rays, even a couple mola mola and marine iguanas. The rental equipment is well maintained and safety is priority. The crew kept the boat clean, always helpful with any concerns and always with a smile. The dive guides are also naturalists with lots of info while on the panga rides and giving informative talks about the islands in the evenings. Only thing I would change is the beer to the Pilsener! 😁

Recommended for: Boat crew and dive guides, dive itinerary and atmosphere

9.6 Exceptional
Kristen L
United States

Beautiful Marine Life in a special high value liveaboard

We experienced for the first time the awe-inspiring underwater terrain of the Galapagos. We got to see whale sharks, mantas, mola mola, more hammerheads than we could count, marine iguanas and sea lions. We went as a group of seven friends and enjoyed the dives and crew immensely. They were organized and professional. All gear was available and setup for you. We used two inflatables to get our different divers out to the sites, and did up your four dives a day. It was just an awesome value for the price. No need to go on more expensive liveaboard... the marine life, crew experience are the same. Give Aqua a try! Will go again.

Recommended for: Wildlife, frequency of diving, value

8.0 Very good
Ernesto R
United States

darwin and wolf are not to be missed.

whale shark

Recommended for: dawin wolf staff

8.4 Very good
Pierre L
United States

Excellent service

We saw many hammerheads on the Darwin and Wolf dives, and a number of whale sharks on the Wolf dives. Altogether, we had a much better experience than our prior Galapagos trip in June 2015. We had a nice experience aboard Delfino Explorer. Although this boat is quite smaller than the typical liveaboard, things are quite well organized and the service and food are quite good. Our overall experience was better than aboard Aggressor III back in June 2015.

Recommended for: Exceptional diving experience, great service and wonderful dynamic with guides and divers

6.0 Review score
Arun S
United States

Excellent dive destination, just OK boat experience

Overall this trip was fantastic, but this is mostly due to the location itself and the underwater life. The Galapagos Islands are fantastic dive destinations, albeit challenging. In terms of the Aqua boat, I would say that the quality is pretty poor compared to other boats I've been on. It got the job done, but I'd say if you have other choices I'd consider those first. Let's break it down: Boat: The boat is small, and the cabins are even smaller. Don't expect much comfort here. Food: Food is ok and buffet-style as is normal. It wasn't the tastiest food, wasn't the worst. Just average. Guides: This is the department that could use some work in my opinion. The guides were very "checklist" type of guides, and they did in fact help us see all of the animals on the list. However, I came there more for the experience and not for the checklist, so it was a little disheartening when we surfaced after 25 minutes or so on some dives because we saw the animal on the list for that spot. Additionally, I understand it's a taxing job, but I felt as if the guides were more so going through the motions rather than enjoying giving a great experience to us as guests. Service: In terms of service, the crew definitely seemed overworked to me. They didn't seem very happy at their jobs, and at the end of the cruise, we all said goodbye and didn't receive much more than a sideways glance. This is probably not their fault and honestly felt kind of bad for them. Overall this cruise is super expensive for what you get. I understand it's cheaper than some in the Galapagos and that made it worth it to me. I'd just recommend going somewhere else if you can / afford it.

Recommended for: Location, large animals, diversity of dive spots

9.6 Exceptional
Katie P
United States

The most memorable dive trip!

The dive guide and the crew really made sure we had an amazing experience. We had everything we needed and we’re always made to feel at home and comfortable while onboard. It was a great itinerary, making sure we got the most out of our trip. The food was excellent and always a nice variety. We had the best time!

Recommended for: The amazing wildlife, our dive guide and the crew/food.

9.2 Superb
Daniel T
United States

Great crew

People

Recommended for: Fish, people, coral

10 Exceptional
Elizabeth D
United States

It was an amazing dive trip!

We had a great experience with Aqua liveaboard. It was much better than anticipated. The guides and wait staff were so professional and helpful. The chef always had fresh fruits, vegetables, and a tasty variety at all meals. The only suggestion I have is to test for covid daily and have a separation of the positive people.

Recommended for: Guides, food, marine life

10 Exceptional
Andy L
United States

Great trip...wonderful crew!

The diving was very, very interesting - lots of sharks (2 whale sharks), and all the other stuff that you are supposed to see in the Galapagos. The crew was very attentive and went out of their way to make the trip great.

Recommended for: Diving, crew, food.

9.6 Exceptional
John W K
United States

Great trip.

Obviously no animal sightings are guaranteed, but the crew knows where they are most likely to be, and did a great job leading us. I most wanted to see mola molas, we were told they were out of season, yet we saw a bunch! Saw a little bit of everything you would hope for on this trip. Crew was very helpful and safety minded. We had a fun group of passengers. Food was great

Recommended for: The animals, the crew, the food.

9.2 Superb
MATTHEW A
United States

Great crew, dives and experience.

Wolf island had the best visibility and shark density. Cape Douglas was shallow and the surge was strong, but the sea life was some of the best, with Marine Iguanas, seals, octopus, etc. The shallow dive provided good light for video too. And the surge was actually a lot of fun.

Recommended for: All the support from the crew, the meals and the dives.

8.8 Fabulous
Mark Y
United States

Diving at Wold and Darwin

Wolf and Darwin diving, incredible. The rest of the diving had minimal visibility making for less than stellar dives including one where people were separated with 10’ vis. Staff was nice and friendly, big help getting ready for dives and great snacks between dives. Lower deck cabins were lacking, poor ventilation (cabin 1) and our cabin lacked a ladder for the upper bunk making it a feat of athleticism to get on. Suitable for one person but not two. Dark due to zero portholes. Common areas of ship were nice including the shaded outside deck, Galapagos sun can be brutal so nice to have shade, unobliterated sun available on top deck although only two lounge chairs. Also nice bench seat in front of the bridge, lots of dolphins jumping sighted from here!

Recommended for: Great food! Great diving at Wold and Darwin! Super friendly and helpful crew

8.4 Very good
Nicholas N
United States

Absolutely Incredible Experience

This trip was so good that I will likely do it again within a couple of years.

Recommended for: Guides, Diving Locations, Price

8.0 Very good
Douglas S
United States

Great diving, budget boat

The many animal encounters from schooling hammer heads, over 25 whale sharks, bottle nose dolphins, sea lions, marine iguanas, penguins and more green sea turtles than you could count. A visit to a ranch to encounter free roaming giant tortoises and sharing this dive experience with other divers from around the world.

Recommended for: Phenomenal diving experiences, friendly helpful staff and a good itinerary

9.6 Exceptional
Rebecca N
United States

Excellent service, professionnel dive team, clean and comfy boat

The highlight of this trip was the diving. The guides were professional and took their time to show us the best underwater. They knew how to spot the whalesharks and wait for the best time to approach them. The wait staff was also superb, as well. The food was excellent with a nice variety each day. The rooms were cleaned often. Overall, it was an amazing experience!

Recommended for: Friendly staff, professional dive guides, clean boat

10 Exceptional
Michael J
United States

NO NEED TO KEEP SEARCHING - BOOK THE AQUA!

We looked at ALOT of Liveaboard options, but the Aqua is seriously all you need! Do NOT waste money on those more expensive liveaboards - the crew were absolutely fantastic and helped with literally everything: our luggage, donning our gear, refilling our tanks, having hot beverages and a warm snack after every dive, and OH MY GOSH the food. The food was incredible and there was something different every single day at every single meal. Prepare to gain weight on this trip because they feed you! The dive guides were incredibly knowledgeable about the dive sites, the animals, the history - just everything. I honestly feel like we got off cheap for the value you get on this particular ship! Ship name is registered as the Pinguino Explorer but is now called the AQUA. We went January 3-January 10 of 2023 and I wore a 5mm wetsuit and was comfortable. My husband wore 4/3 wetsuit for most of the dives but switched to a 7mm wetsuit for one day that was chilly. One thing to note that I didn’t realize is you have to have gloves to dive in the Galapagos. Thank goodness the crew had extra for us to rent, but I know this isn’t always the case - so just be forewarned about that part! We cannot wait to have this experience again and would absolutely book the Aqua again! Gracias por todos!!!

Recommended for: Dive Guides/Crew, Food, and obviously the diving!

9.6 Exceptional
Vishnu P
United States

Amazing, and I’m already planning my next trip back here.

We saw so much wildlife, even from the very first check-out dive. I think I’ve seen the most variety of marine animals in any single dive during this trip - sharks, mantas, eagle rays, mobula rays, eels, hammerheads, sea lions, sea turtles. The visibility was unfortunately not the best at some of the dives, but that’s just the luck of the draw. The guides really made it an incredible experience and tried to find us the best things. And the crew worked seamlessly like a well oiled machine to make sure we were well taken care of. Also, the food was great with lots of variety.

Recommended for: The crew, the guides, the marine wildlife

8.4 Very good
Andrew W
United States

Fantastic Crew

The crew and dive guides worked extremely well together making for a seamless diving experience. We were unlucky with visibility on Darwin and Wolf but to no fault of the crew. The rest of the dives were amazing. Saw all the things: galapagos sharks, hammerheads, oceanic mantas, devil rays, eagle rays, and too many turtles and eels to count. Dive with iguanas and penguins was super unique and memorable.

Recommended for: Crew, Diving, Organization

9.2 Superb
Matthias B
Germany

Friendly staff, delicious food and great atmosphere

Besides the fantastic underwater worlds it was first if all the friendliness and helpfulness of our guides Jessy and Simo, also the quality and variety of food our chef Pedro prepared for us (which was far better than my expectations!) that created a great atmosphere among the group. I also would like to mention dear Mercedes' kindness and amenities such as hot chocolate with cinnamon after our dives in cold water which contributed to the trip being unforgettable!! Thanks also to our panga driver Juanito, Carlos, Ronny, the Capitan and the other Crew members for all their help and patience. The only thing which I would try to avoid next time is getting cabin nr 1 which is located in the underdeck and has no window to let fresh air in.

Recommended for: almost new dive equipment, delicious Food, very kind guides

8.4 Very good
Richard O
Canada

Amazing diving on a reasonable boat

The boat was nearly constantly moving between dive sites, but the northern islands (Wolf and Darwin) along with the day on the west coast of Isabella and Fernandina were definitely the highlights. We saw tons of hammerheads, several whale sharks, a handful of Mola Mola, watched the marine iguanas feeding and more. The boat is renovated but is a tight space for the number of divers and only had 2 guides. The did an excellent job with rental gear and all the paperwork before our trip. Overall, it is hard to go wrong with a liveaboard in the Galapagos because the wildlife is so dense, so it comes down to what amenities and diver to guide ratio you want to pay for.

Recommended for: Marine life, Marine life, Marine life

8.4 Very good
Sylvain R
France

Really worth it!

It was one of the first diving cruise of Aqua and everything went very well. The boat and cabins are nice. The dive guides were very friendly and knew well the spots. Food was good. The water is of course chilly and the viz not the best but the marine life is so rich it makes you forget everything!

Recommended for: Whale sharks, sea lions and hammerheads

9.6 Exceptional
Yanxin H
China

Great value!

Dolphins!

Recommended for: Food is good, rental gear is super new, good service

8.8 Fabulous
Abhimanyu J
France

Great diving experience and friendly staff though slightly cramped cabins

Two days on Wolf island, seeing in a single dive over 300 hammerheads!

Recommended for: 1. Dive guide 2. Catering to food preferences 3. Friendly staff

10 Exceptional
matthieu R
France

Sensational

it s been a sensational week in all a spect! The diving was simply unreal and the Galapagos are incredible! On top of this, this entire crew has been great! Great guides, great service and food, nice boat, all that with a smile, in one word it s been a phenomenal trip! Thanks a lot for an unforgettable week

Recommended for: Stunning diving & great crew!

9.6 Exceptional
Lara C
United Kingdom

Fantastic!

Hammerheads, seals and the people - all were great!

Recommended for: great boat, excellent staff, brilliant diving

8.0 Very good
Leanne D
Canada

I had a lovely time with the great staff!

The school of hammerheads was fantastic and the sea lion encounters were so awesome!

Recommended for: Lots of animals to see, wonderful staff, clean

9.2 Superb
julien A
France

Amazing week with the team of Aqua

Unforgettable week with Aqua crew and guides. Due to covid situation we were the only boat un Darwin and Boat. Only 9 divers for the whole place with amazing life encounter... The crew was very friendly and helpfull all along the trip. The food was good and diversified. I highly recommend Aqua for a diving cruise in the Galapagos

Recommended for: the dives, the crew, the guides

9.2 Superb
Maurice L
Germany

Very Professional liveaboard.

Seeing: Mola mola, bullhead horn shark, sea horse

Recommended for: diving, atmosphere, food

10 Exceptional
Rafael C
Spain

Great !

We saw everything that could be seen. Great guides.

Recommended for: Incredible crew

9.2 Superb
Thomas K
Belgium

A lot more and better than what I was hoping for!

The whalesharks , manta rays, turtles, iguana's and Galapagos sharks. Also inside the caves with the zodiac and diving. The food was superb, and verry, verry gentle and helpfull crew. One of the diveguides also films parts of the dives and makes a 20 min diving compilation movie wich is verry nice to see.

Recommended for: Many divespots each targetting a specific species. Extra guiding tours on zodiacs telling a lot over rhe islands and whildlife (also doing caves). The great food.

8.0 Very good
Juan R
Spain

Great Experience

Seeing 11 whalesharks in Darwin, will never forget.

Recommended for: Diving in Darwin, Darwin in Wolf, See molas first time in my life

8.0 Very good
Andre L
Germany

Galapagos is an amazing Experience

First of all, the Galapagos trip feels some Kind of an Excursion. The Diving and the wheather condition is challenging. The Pelagic Life is amazing, the boat is not Luxury but everything was working fine. I would recommend the trio

Recommended for: Hammerheads Iguanas Whalesharks Mola Mola

8.0 Very good
Andre L
Germany

2nd Week on Galapagos, two Trips back to back

Galapagos is an unforgettable experience. The dives can be challenging, but it is a lot of fun. The boat itself is ok, rather small but anything is working fine. I need to point out the Panga drivers. The are doing an amazing Job. I never experienced this on other Liveaboards. They are following the bubbles the whole dive, at any time you ascend, the will be just a few meters away, to pick you up. The boat itself should get a wind protection for the upper deck, to provide more convenience for the guests. The meals are amazing 😉. Thanks to the chef. Thanks for two unforgettable weeks on Aqua.

Recommended for: Hammerheads Mantas Mobulas

8.4 Very good
Andrew F
United Kingdom

Excellent value for money for divers that want the real deal

Just an incredible experience for any diver wanting to tick the Galapagos off their bucket list for as good a price as you can get. The crew were friendly and supportive, the diving was first class. Awesome week

Recommended for: The diving was incredible, the price is better than any other, it attracted a younger traveller crowd

9.6 Exceptional
Giorgia M
Italy

Very good

Sharks dolphins see leons mobulas birds

Recommended for: Quality/money- friendly staff

9.6 Exceptional
charles P
United Kingdom

The boat and the diving exceeded expectations

Marine iguanas, sharks, sea lions etc...

Recommended for: The marine life, the environment and the boat

10 Exceptional
Quentin C
France

Amazing week in divers’ paradise

Had an amazing week of wonder and awe as we discovered a wide variety of Galapagos underwater landscapes and wildlife, from large schools of hammerheads and whale sharks to Galapagos seahorses and red-lipped bat fish. Life onboard the Aqua was a dream: excellent service for an effortless week, with daily cleaned cabins and fresh treats welcoming us after each excursion. Put on your wetsuit and dive is the key word there !

Recommended for: Dives, Service from the crew, food

10 Exceptional
Charles-Henri B
France

The best Liveaboard experience ever ! Highly recommended !

1) Darwin : a must in diving experience! 2) The boat Aqua : one of the best ratio price/quality for Galapagos liveaboards 3) The high quality of service orientation of the staff : the best customer experience among the 10+ dive cruises I had in the past 20 years

Recommended for: Professionalism

10 Exceptional
Hou Y
Japan

good experience

Galapagos is a really nice place for sea creatures!

Recommended for: dive sites, food, services

10 Exceptional
Olivia F
Switzerland

Awesome trip!

dive sites!

Recommended for: dive sites, crew, food

9.6 Exceptional
James S
United Kingdom

Amazing.

Sharks everywhere! Guides are good people. Food is amazing! Thanks again to the huge efforts made on the Aqua Galapagos boat!

Recommended for: The boat has local Ecuadorian Guides which is a big plus in my opinion. Very knowledgeable about the islands and very safe in the water. Was shown everything I would like to see in the Galapagos and more.

9.6 Exceptional
Laura D
Switzerland

Perfect Livabord experience!

The diving at Darwin&wolf was a dream come true. The crew did everything to make everyone happy. After the dives, there was always hot coffee, tee or hot chocolate and some snacks waiting for us. Food was excellent! very divers, rich, tasty and creative! Also always great options for vegetarians! Cabins where cleaned every day. Nice sundeck to warm up! Just loved that trip and can highly recommend the Aqua and its crew!

Recommended for: The diving was stunning! Great dive guides and an awesome and very friendly crew!

9.6 Exceptional
Steven C
Canada

A trip of a lifetime!

Thank you for an excellent week of diving in Galapagos. The trip was more than I expected. I was overwhelmed by the sea life we encountered and the ability of our dive team to get us right where we needed to be to ensure that we had the best experience possible. The Aqua is a boat built for divers and this is clearly an operation focussed on the needs of divers. Not the newest or most luxurious vessel around, but certainly a boat that prioritizes the dive experience over other secondary concerns. The dive team were extremely knowledgeable and were able to deliver on all of our dive objectives. The crew were friendly and attentive, and the food was plentiful and hearty. What more do you need?

Recommended for: 1. Focus on professional and safe dive operations. 2. Knowledge of the dive masters and naturalists. 3. Great support and service from the boat staff.

9.2 Superb
Joao Paulo N
Brazil

Best value for money in Galápagos

The staff was very friendly. They were always concerned to give the best experience in diving for all, searching for the best dive sites. Also, it was possible to do snorkeling and tours as alternative activities. The cabine was exactly as I saw on pictures, decent size and comfort. The food was very good and local.

Recommended for: Itinerary, Dive Guides, Staff

9.2 Superb
Nicolas M
France

Amazing experience on the Aqua boat

This trip with Aqua was amazing, I never saw so much wildlife in one trip. We managed to see almost all of the animals we wanted to see, even the ones that we didn't dream of seeing. The real point added by this cruise is that you have a very good itinerary, for a cheaper price than the others, on a boat that is medium sized and survives a bit better the waves than smaller boats. Also the crew was all from the Galapagos, which is nice to give back to the local community. The boat isn't really new but it does the job. The divemaster allowed themselves to modify a bit the itinerary to give us a couple more dives in Darwin were the conditions were amazing. This added flexibility is definitely a plus. Beware, if you dive during the cold season, it does get quite cold and they only provide 7mm, which probably won't be enough for you. Also only go on this cruise if you're experienced or ready to dive in challenging conditions. The divemasters expect you to be proficient and mostly autonomous after the first couple dives. Very pleasant liveaboard, definitely recommends

Recommended for: The wildlife, the itinerary, the crew

9.2 Superb
Jessica K
Australia

Amazing trip!

The diving was incredible, we saw a pod of dolphins and a mola mola whilst diving (amongst all the other animals you expect to see) as well as some orcas from the boat. Unfortunately we had a week of unusually bad weather which affected the diving conditions but the guides did their absolute best in the circumstances. Would recommend :)

Recommended for: Incredible dives, great boat and crew.

9.6 Exceptional
Jiann Chyuan L
Malaysia

Value for money

The vessel is comfortable but not luxury. For the price on offer, it exceeds all my expectations.

Recommended for: Crew, Food, Dive Guides

8.8 Fabulous
Ailig S
United Kingdom

First liveaboard, and what a way to start!

Highlights were diving with sea lions, penguins, iguanas, hammerheads, schools of eagle rays, and massive oceanic manta rays. The crew worked really hard to make it as an enjoyable trip as possible. Will definitely be back.

Recommended for: Best things were the unique locations, the crew, and the dive guides.

9.6 Exceptional
Sydney M
United Kingdom

A lovely adventure with a lovely set of crew and guests

For me the highlights were diving with sea lions and marine iguanas

Recommended for: The underwater life, the food on board and the other guests

8.0 Very good
Simona P
Italy

A dream!

Hammerheads shark

Recommended for: Organization,crew and dives

Aqua Liveaboard, Galapagos

Highlights

Choose your departure date

2023

2024

2025

Boat features

Food & Drinks

Diving

Gear Rental

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Accommodation

Lower Deck Twin Cabins

Lower Deck Triple Cabins

Main Deck Double

Upper Deck Twin Cabins

Upper Deck Double Cabin

Boat Specifications

Boat Navigation and Safety

Aqua Reviews